A short sketch done by the facilitator about unity.

Campers writing down their thoughts about one another during one of the workshops.

A group photo of the UCSI University Freshman Camp May 2012

UCSI University's Freshman Camp kicked off with a blast on the 18^th to 20^th May 2012, where newly enlisted students gained valuable knowledge on unity and survival. Themed ‘Learn. Overcome. Survive.' the camp bustled with exciting fun-filled activities, firing the atmosphere for the ultimate outdoor survival adventure.

The journey to Dusun Eco Resort was set alight with sparks of fun during the exhilarating ride up to the campsite. Upon reaching the campsite, campers were unknowingly drawn into an ice-breaker game and were befuddled with confusion when they were branched into fake groupings.

They were finally segregated into their proper "tribes", which were bestowed with intriguing names such as Huchnom, Pequot, Cherokee, Yavapai, Mohegan, Puyallup, Skokomish, Sioux, Hiute and Pawnee, among others. These names bore different meanings and were a representation of their own unique characteristics and skills.

A "barnyard" game commenced shortly after, where participants were made to imitate animal noises and search for their respective tribes while being blindfolded. Various animal-like snorts and grunts echoed in the room, ensuing in much laughter, as each tribe member shuffled around clumsily towards their "barn" families.

Day soon faded to night, and tribe facilitators clustered with team members to perform a historical sketch of their respective tribes. Each sketch was imprinted with the same key take-away: Unity.

The next highlight added to the merriment, as campers obediently sipped from a "sacred orb" as a token of compliance to camp leaders.

The tribes went on to brave the rough terrain of the jungle, better known as the "Night Walk", while stumbling through darkness. Hand-in-hand, they helped each other conquer the challenging task.

On the following day, the "Survivor Time Challenge" pitted tribes against each other and they were tested on different values through a range of activities; intelligence and courage (Sky Bridge chess); creativity (cooking competition); team-building (rafting); survival skills (tent-pitching); and endurance (obstacle race).

A series of relay races followed suit, where campers were required to complete specific tasks, and run to and from specific checkpoints to tag their tribe members.

At nightfall, "Survival Night" took the spotlight, where participants learnt to track and locate missing tribe members, the importance of self-reliance, as well as how to manage common wilderness emergencies such as animal attacks, dehydration, hypothermia, injuries and being stranded, to name a few, and were empowered with vital survival skills that would make the difference between life and death for their comrades.

The last day of camp finally arrived, albeit a little too soon, and all campers penned down their thoughts and appreciation for each other on paper. Together, they performed a friendship dance, signifying a unique close to the programme, and returned home with much insight and valuable moral lessons – now branded as SURVIVORS!